RAPSat Spacecraft

Deliver a 4 ThinSat slot constellation to improve the rapid demonstration of Space Force subsystems to the Warfighter.

NSL will deliver 3 highly reliable, demonstration satellite bus platforms with near ubiquitous communications and terrestrial cloud-based delivery to Air Force Demonstration mission owners.

RAPSat ThinSat Platforms for on orbit testing can have small impulse ion and chemical propulsion payloads. With RAPSat, radiation tolerance can be rapidly tested for COTS and tolerant parts in the real energetic particle spectrum environment (Also test self-healing algorithms, spot shielding, and safe recovery circuits tested).

RAPSat Prototype ThinSats will focus with SMC and AFRL/RV on the new Space VPX GHz processors and solar cells for SEU and dose and test new lithium batteries for hibernation, performance, and bus integration. 

The Space Force SBIR Phase II consists of four longer ThinSats with each dimension of 2.5x10x30cm.

Rapid agile production of ThinSats (RAPSat) will deliver 4 ThinSat slot constellations to improve the rapid demonstration of space force subsystems to warfighter. The objective of the mission is to build and deliver a flight prototype platform for LEO rapid demonstration of ThinSats ready for orbit in a 6U launcher, and to show advanced manufacturing is achieved. The mission includes several cutting-edge power innovations.

This mission is in partnership with the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command to include the Space Test Program, Space Command & Control, and Mission Manifest Office, and Small Business Lead NearSpace Launch, Inc.